You don't want your septic tank to be open. You also don't want to use your house as a porta john, double so if there's no vacume trucks available.

If the sewer is draining and the water is running you don't need to store any in your tub. If you stored water in your tub wether with or without the bladder you'll want to dig a latrine out in the yard. Or if the sewer is functioning use the toilet and flush it with a jug using some of your water you are storing. Though if it might be long term you'll want to start digging and save that water for drinking/cooking.

2dimes wrote:You don't want your septic tank to be open. You also don't want to use your house as a porta john, double so if there's no vacume trucks available.

I just figured you could use a shop vac...

2dimes wrote:If the sewer is draining and the water is running you don't need to store any in your tub.

Oh yeah, derp.

2dimes wrote: If you stored water in your tub wether with or without the bladder you'll want to dig a latrine out in the yard. Or if the sewer is functioning use the toilet and flush it with a jug using some of your water you are storing. Though if it might be long term you'll want to start digging and save that water for drinking/cooking.

Good thinking, 2dimes. Now I gotta go get the shopvac out of the garage. Sigh.

2dimes wrote:Un-heated water bed ≠ good. Though I might be further north than you.

I had a water bed years ago. I moved to another house, filled it and turned it on. It takes a full day to heat up. Meanwhile there was a party at the house, one guest got very drunk and crashed on the cold water bed. He was blue in the morning with a mild case of hypothermia even with his clothes on. Never sleep on an unheated water bed, unless you have tons of blankets between you and the water.

2dimes wrote:Un-heated water bed ≠ good. Though I might be further north than you.

I had a water bed years ago. I moved to another house, filled it and turned it on. It takes a full day to heat up. Meanwhile there was a party at the house, one guest got very drunk and crashed on the cold water bed. He was blue in the morning with a mild case of hypothermia even with his clothes on. Never sleep on an unheated water bed, unless you have tons of blankets between you and the water.

Glad this thread is still alive.I'm going camping here, it's 17,000 acres of wilderness in Michigan. I'll be spending at least a week in 2013 0r 14. You have to navigate your own way with a compass or a GPS, so this is going to be awesome.Do you think that it's better to build a greenhouse tent or to actually bring a tent?

I did by a couple of cheap strikers, but they are pretty pathetic at throwing sparks. So I was eyeballing one of these:They last for forever and have a button compass hidden in the other side.

But that light my fire is a lot cheaper and does a good job. So I'll probably get one of those instead. Good call.

But does anyone have any good advice for a survival hunting knife? I was leaning towards purchasing an ESEE, but for the price I want to be sure. They're about $130. Comparably-sized KA-BARs are $80, but have slightly cheaper steel. I had a Cold Steel Pendleton, and it was nice, but I lost it camping and I want to get something better to replace it. And I want an American made knife as well. I don't have anything against Taiwanese knives or anything; I think their quality is great. But America makes some great products too and I'd like to keep this purchase at home. If I'm going camping in the middle of nowhere, this knife could be a lifesaving tool. I also need a cold weather sleeping bag and a new hiking pack. I had a tactical-type canvas three day bag, but the top ripped wide open. I'd like to replace it with something larger, but there are a lot of bags out there and it's really hard to know which one is right. My bag had these awesome special ties and webbing on each side, to attach a machete or camp axe, and I haven't found another one like it. I may end up with an Alice Pack, but I do believe the bag is too small for the McCormick. Any advice would be appreciated, you might think of something that I haven't.

This is the knife, the brightest one that they sell:

I lost my knife walking back to our campsite in the dark. I couldn't find it, because it was too dark. Someone else had found it by the next day, I know it. =(

Glad this thread is still alive.I'm going camping here, it's 17,000 acres of wilderness in Michigan. I'll be spending at least a week in 2013 0r 14. You have to navigate your own way with a compass or a GPS, so this is going to be awesome.Do you think that it's better to build a greenhouse tent or to actually bring a tent?

What time of year are you going? Chances are you can skip the tent and just take a basic lightweight "tarp"/groundcover... or skip it all.

Tents have 2 basic purposes.. privacy and to keep rain/snow off. Privacy should not be an issue there. Not sure about the weather, but if you need shelter, relying on making it out of what is there is not a great idea unless you must.

In Michigan, you might want some no seum netting. It can be worth its weight, but don't expect perfection. Also, this might have been mentioned earlier, but don't put DEET anywhere near anything plastic or nylon.. it melts most plastics.

We're going in either the spring or the fall, to avoid the deerflys and mosquitos. At least, that's the hope. I've been in the wilderness when the deerflys were thick, and there's nothing worse. But it'll prolly be a little bit chilly at night. The lakes don't warm up much at all, and I do believe they'll also hold the temperature lower.

I've only got 3 others confirmed for this trip right now, but it's also at least a year off, so there will be time for other people to ask to come. It's not like it'll cost anything. But it will be serious; much of our food will come from what we find/kill, and we will be navigating by compass. Although, if the group grows too much, I wont take any chances and I'll get a GPS. I just want everyone to stay safe and realize what they're getting into. Because the last time that I did something like this, a couple of people were disappointed to find that their limits weren't as far as they imagined them to be. They broke, and they let everyone down. =(I'm in favor of ditching the tents, and just bringing some plastic and gorilla tape in case of foul weather. It'll be a lot easier to travel without a tent, but I'm the only one thinking this way. Greenhouse tents are very warm if you can keep a fire lit outside. Or maybe just one of those hammocks with rainflys.....

We're going in either the spring or the fall, to avoid the deerflys and mosquitos. At least, that's the hope. I've been in the wilderness when the deerflys were thick, and there's nothing worse. But it'll prolly be a little bit chilly at night. The lakes don't warm up much at all, and I do believe they'll also hold the temperature lower.

I've only got 3 others confirmed for this trip right now, but it's also at least a year off, so there will be time for other people to ask to come. It's not like it'll cost anything. But it will be serious; much of our food will come from what we find/kill, and we will be navigating by compass. Although, if the group grows too much, I wont take any chances and I'll get a GPS. I just want everyone to stay safe and realize what they're getting into. Because the last time that I did something like this, a couple of people were disappointed to find that their limits weren't as far as they imagined them to be. They broke, and they let everyone down. =(I'm in favor of ditching the tents, and just bringing some plastic and gorilla tape in case of foul weather. It'll be a lot easier to travel without a tent, but I'm the only one thinking this way. Greenhouse tents are very warm if you can keep a fire lit outside. Or maybe just one of those hammocks with rainflys.....

I'm super-duper excited though.

Sounds pretty awesome, JB. I'm envious because I tend to be very hardcore in my camping. I myself find fall camping more enjoyable than spring as it tends to be (but not necessarily) drier.

I've wanted to talk about Juan's knife but am doing a bunch of other unimportant things so I have not got around to it.

My thought is to get a decent but kind of cheap to totally cheap one. Then it doesn't hurt/suck if you lose or break it. I can't remember the brand I have but the thing is from the nineties and it's still great though admittedly has not seen much use. Thing is it was like $15. If it was dull I wouldn't even have to sharpen it I could give it away and buy a new one. (I'm way too cheap but even I could afford that if I weren't.)

Though I don't see a problem with treating yourself to a really great one either.

I'd like to get in on one of your hard core camping trips, sounds cool. Can't see it since half the time I'm crabby about being married, it is because the collar hurts my neck when I hit the end of my short leash. I might have to take my daughter out on a weekend with my buddy who hunts with his kids.

Another recommendation I have regarding knives is to stay away from stainless. Stainless is quite popular but IMHO junk as it doesn't hold an edge for shit. If you take care of your knife its not going to rust on you. SS is completely overrated.Also, these commando survival knives are complete overkill. They're generally heavy, bulky and expensive for what a normal person is going to have to use them for. Even a halfway decent fillet knife is ten times more useful than some crazy ass tactical knife. Go for a nice quality narrower blade hunting knife with a belt sheath(you'll lose it less easily and it's much more handy). It may not impress anyone or be as quite as flashy in a knife fight but it's going to be a good friend. Spray paint it fluorescent orange and green if it makes you feel better.

I'm going to take a look for the knife thread with B.K. Barunt and some other guys discussing knives. Sounded legit.

I'm glad I can't see those funny coloured ones in person. I'm getting hypnotized and I might end up buying one.

I grabbed mine. It's a Mora brand, just says, K.J.ERIKSSON MORA-SWEDEN CARBON STEEL. on the blade. It has a really solid handle covered in rubber and a medium hard plastic case that covers the knife well up the handle. You could attach it to your belt but I don't.

I have attached a magnesium block and pretty chewed sparking insert to the case. I think I'll grab a second as a back up if they're still cheap and available. I would have to think there's some equivalent in an American made knife but maybe not.